Early last week the Premier Basketball League announced the All PBL First Team. The 5 extraordinary individuals that made this team are considered the best of the best in the league. These players have been both offensive and defensive threats to their opponents and were unstoppable machines throughout the season. They put up multiple points and grabbed the boards every chance they could get in each game, to be considered the league’s top all-around players for the 2015 season. Congratulations to Troy Jackson Jr of the Erie Hurricane, Gabe Freeman of the Rochester Razorsharks, Nicholas Waddell and Courtney Blackmore of the Lake Michigan Admirals, and Anthony Spencer of the Racine Storm.

Rochester, NY - Rochester RazorSharks players and Assistant Coach Chris Iversen are using their off-season not only to get better and further develop their skills, but also to have a chance at winning $1 million. Five members of the RazorSharks 2015 Championship team are joining forces with other top ranked basketball players and will compete in a national five-on-five million dollar tournament called “The Basketball Tournament”. The team, nicknamed the Mill Rats, is ranked 3rd in the tournament Midwest bracket and will be play their first game in Chicago, Illinois on July 17, 2015.

“The Basketball Tournament” is a national 5 on 5, single elimination, winner-take-all basketball tournament with a grand prize of $1 million. There are a series of games to be played before the championship game, which will be held in New York City on August 2nd, 2015. The Midwest bracket is a three day competition, July 17th, 18th and 19th in Chicago, Illinois. Should the Mill Rats be victorious, they will advance to the “Super 17” held in Chicago, with games on July 23rd, 24th and 25th. The next round of the tournament is the championships, which is held in New York City on August 1st and 2nd.

Coach Iversen says, “I am really excited and very much looking forward to this opportunity, not only for myself, but for the players. I’m eager to get back to work with our guys (Jerice, Mel, Corey & Gabe) again and get the opportunity to work with the rest of the players too. I think this tournament will give us some exposure and will be a great opportunity to see some players that we normally wouldn’t have the chance to see in person during the off-season.”

When asked about the tournament, RazorSharks’ point guard Jerice Crouch says, “It’s a great opportunity to play against the top players in America with NBA and top level overseas experience as well as having the opportunity to show our skills on a national stage. Most importantly, it’s a chance to win $1 million!”

In addition to that, shooting guard Melvin Council notes, “I’m excited to play in this tournament because it gives me a chance to win $1 million while also playing with a couple of my teammates and others across the country. The tournament involves a lot of fans which is a great thing for them to cheer and get the chance to watch their favorite teams.”

Team Mill Rats consists of Rochester RazorSharks players: Jerice Crouch, Corey Allmond, Melvin Council and Gabe Freeman, coached under Coach Iversen. Also part of Team Mill Rats: General Manager, Ian McCarthy, and Booster, Steven Yankopoulos. With the planning process underway, we wish Team Mill Rats the best of luck with their training and games in the future and we are proud to support our RazorSharks players and staff! If you would like to follow the tournament or would like any additional information, the tournament website is: www.thetournament.com.

The Premier Basketball League has had a busy off-season so far. We have been working hard as a staff to create improvements for the upcoming season. For the upcoming season you can look forward to new potential teams, new and exciting promotional events, and a new wave of talented players.

The PBL will be holding their international combine August 15th, 2015 in Chicago, IL. There will be representatives from each team there to recruit for their individual organizations. Anyone can come showcase their skills; all they need to do is go to www.thepbl.com and register. The league is looking forward to seeing new talent and is excited to see new players join the league.